Wind, Cold Temps Play Havoc With Woodbine Racing

An unusual, bitterly cold spell through the last week in southern Ontario came to the forefront on November 20 at Woodbine when racing was canceled following the first two races of the Sunday card.

With the added issue of strong gusts of wind, it looked likely to many that the card would be in jeopardy. In November 2020, the second Sunday of racing was also canceled due to extreme winds.

Two races were run on Sunday, a 2-year-old race won by Ontario-bred Trinity Park (Giant Gizmo – Malaspina by Speightstown), trained by Kevin Attard for Trinity Racing Stable. Slade Jones rode. Race 2 was won by Point to the Stars under Sahin Civaci who won the $25,000 claiming race for James Calihoo and trainer Phil Hall.

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The cancellation of the remainder of the card, races 3 through 10, included the $175,000 Kennedy Road Stakes (G2), which will be run next Sunday, November 27.

On Saturday prior to race 5, jockey Eswan Flores was found to have heated gloves while riding What’s My Name. According to the Senior Stewards Report: “5 minute delay to the start, the Paddock Judge relayed to the Stewards that #5 Jockey E. Flores was wearing charged heated gloves, the Stewards relayed to the starter that Mr. Flores would not be permitted to ride with the gloves in a race, Mr. Flores refused to ride the horse and it was returned to the paddock and D. Fukumoto was secured as a rider.”

Saturday’s winners included the impressive Ontario-bred 2-year-old filly FORTYFIVESEVENTY, owned and trained by Barbara Minshall. Coming off a third-place finish in the Princess Elizabeth Stakes, Fortyfiveseventy and jockey Kazushi Kimura strolled away to a 7-plus-length win in the maiden/optional race at 1 mile and 70 yards. Bred by Charles Fipke, the $4,000 yearling purchase at the 2021 Fasig Tipton Kentucky Fall sale is the second winner from just four starts for Ontario sire Perfect Timber.

Trainer CARLOS GRANT won two races on the afternoon. He sent out Muskoka Summer to win her maiden for $25,000 for owner Randy Bharat and Jecara Farms’ homebred It Worked to win his maiden for $7,500 in the final race of the day.

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Trainer STEVEN CHIRCOP won two races last week to bring his Woodbine total to 18 and his 2022 total to 24, a career year for the Toronto conditioner who often co-owns some of his starters.

Also in the midst of a career season is trainer ZELJKO KRCMAR, who has 19 wins at Woodbine this year and 20 wins this season. Other trainers with career seasons ongoing include BEV CHUBB, KEVIN ATTARD and WILLIAM THARRENOS.